Security Spotlight: MSPs, Are You Prepared to Help the SMB Fight off Ransomware?

The attack method on many people’s minds today – ransomware – doesn't necessarily target SMBs, however they might be the most susceptible. This means MSPs will be asked to provide the guidance and protection necessary to avoid this threat.

Ransomware has become more and more prevalent over the last six months, and given the time of year, we expect this to accelerate even more. Leveraging both system and human vulnerabilities, attackers are gaining access to machines and maliciously encrypting data, demanding a ransom paid to the creator of the malware in order for the system’s files to be restored.

While this may sound like a perfect attack for an attacker to employ against large enterprises, this malware does not discriminate – it has taken a dragnet type of approach, targeting any unsuspecting victim, regardless of company, role or affiliation. As large enterprises continue to invest in complex, multi-layered security in response to the daily onslaught of attacks like ransomware, the SMB segment continues to be the weak and easy prey.

The SMB: An Easy Target, but They Don’t Have to Be

As MSP’s often encounter, many SMB’s operate under a sense of denial when it comes to security. They consider themselves too small a target for would-be cyber-attacks. When compounded with the fact that they often don’t have a dedicated IT/security department, this creates a situation where assets and data are unduly put at risk.

And what about the assets themselves? Given the continued blurring of the network perimeter with mobile devices traveling in and out of the corporate setting, what little protection that is provided often disappears the moment the device, most often a company-owned laptop, is taken home. It’s this lack of consistent protection that creates the opportunities for the attacks like ransomware to happen.

An attack on one SMB might not deliver the gains as one on a Fortune 500 company, but given the greater ease through which hackers can attack SMBs, the volume approach proves the model works. It works for Costco, and it surely works for cyber criminals as well.

What Can MSPs do for the SMB’s Fight Against Ransomware?

Traditional Web security solutions such as URL filtering and signature based anti-virus, while still important, are no longer effective protection on their own, especially when faced with attacks like ransomware. Today’s Web environment demands real-time protection, which can analyze continuously evolving web content. Roaming and remote users must be continuously protected, regardless of their location: whether connecting from a remote office, airport, hotel, home or other unprotected networks.

Being able to effectively support the SMB means balancing the needs for comprehensive protection with the equally important need to minimize disruptions to end users, all the while remaining cost-conscious. These requirements don’t have to be mutually exclusive, however.

Many MSPs have turned to cloud-based solutions to master this balancing act. This approach – delivering consistent protection via the cloud – minimizes both disruptions and the need for complex deployments of additional firewalls or virtual private networks. This delivery model is more advantageous for the SMB user, as it ensures persistent coverage for the end-user, ensuring that malware such as ransomware doesn’t make it’s way on to systems, putting company data at risk. It’s also more advantageous for the MSP, as it typically entails a predictable recurring revenue stream, with little or no upfront costs.

While the ransomware attack doesn't necessarily target SMBs, they might be the most susceptible. With the help of their trusted MPSs, they certainly don’t have to be.

MSPs are partnering with Total Defense to offer an integrated and profitable security solution. Contact us today for your free trial at cloud.totaldefense.com/msp, or contact us by email at msp@totaldefense.com or telephone at 888-504-9800.

Total Defense is the leading provider of content and endpoint security from the cloud. We keep organizations and individuals safe from cybercrime, malware and digital threats. Thousands of businesses across a wide array of industries have deployed our solutions, including some of the most sophisticated buyers of security technology worldwide, and millions of consumers worldwide use Total Defense’s products. Total Defense has operations in New York, California, Europe, Israel and Japan.